64th Air Expeditionary Group
The 64th Air Expeditionary Group (64 AEG) is a United States Air Force unit subordinate to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, and located at Eskan Village, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Established prior to World War II, its predecessor unit, the 64th Transport (later Troop Carrier) Group engaged in combat operations, first with the Eighth Air Force and primarily with Twelfth Air Force during the war. Overview The group is made up of about 300 security forces, support Airmen, and civilians. Their mission is to stand guard all day, every day, providing integrated defense, emergency response, and combat support for the base, which houses military and host-nation tenant agencies. Most days the Airmen are fighting the Global War on Terrorism in extreme temperatures of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.U.S. Air Force News Service History The 64 AEG is a provisional unit and is authorized to use the emblem of the inactive 64th Flying Training Wing with expeditionary added to the scroll. However the unit's lineage is derived from the 64th Operations Group. World War II Constituted as 64th Transport Group on 20 November 1940. Activated on 4 December 1940. Used C-47’s for training and flying transport missions in the US. Redesignated 64th Troop Carrier Group in July 1942. Moved to England in August 1942 and received additional training. Assigned to Twelfth Air Force. Moved to the Mediterranean theater, November–December 1942. Flew first mission on 11 November, landing paratroops at Maison Blanche. Dropped paratroops to capture airfields during the battle for Tunisia. Released paratroops near Gela and Catania when the Allies invaded Sicily in July 1943. Dropped paratroops near Avellino during the invasion of Italy in September 1943 to destroy a bridge on the enemy’s supply line to Salerno. Participated in the assault on southern France in August 1944 by releasing gliders and paratroops in the battle zone. Supported the partisans in northern Italy early in 1945 by dropping paratroops, supplies, and propaganda leaflets behind enemy lines. When not engaged in airborne combat operations, the group continually transported men and supplies to the front lines and evacuated wounded personnel. Most of the group was on detached service in the CBI theater, April–June 1944, while a skeleton force remained in Sicily. With its squadrons operating from separate bases in India, the 64th group aided the Allied offensive in Burma, being awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for flying unarmed over rugged enemy territory to carry food, clothing, medical supplies, guns, ammunition, and mules to the combat zone and to evacuate wounded personnel. Moved to Trinidad in June 1945. Assigned to Air Transport Command. Inactivated on 31 July 1945 Activated in the US on 19 May 1947. Not manned during 1947–1948. Inactivated on 10 September 1948. Cold War The 64th performed airlift and airdrop/airlanding of troops and cargo, routinely and during frequent maneuvers, 1952–1953. It began phasing down for inactivation in mid-October 1953, at which time tactical operations passed to 63d Troop Carrier Wing. In February 1954, however, the wing began building up again in preparation for an overseas movement, but was inactivated instead. The 64th was activated at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas in February 1961 with a troop carrier/airlift mission, plus resupply of Distant Early Warning Line sites on the Greenland ice cap. The wing was again inactivated on 1 January 1963. It was reactivated and replaced Troop Carrier Wing Provisional, 4413th, in July 1966 at Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee. The wing provided global airlift and aeromedical evacuations, July 1966 – May 1971. It also provided C–130 combat crew training for other C–130 units from, 1 July 1966 – 6 March 1970, with this being the wing’s primary activity from 9 August 1968 to 6 March 1970. It was replaced at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, in May 1971 by 314th Tactical Airlift Wing. The 64th replaced 3500th Pilot Training Wing in October 1972 and assumed mission of undergraduate pilot training and operation and maintenance of Reese Air Force Base, Texas. It supported Accelerated Co-Pilot Enrichment Program through operating locations at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, and Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota from, 1976–1991. Modern era The 64th began specialized undergraduate pilot training in July 1992, using T–1A to prepare students for airlift tanker/transport training and T–38 for students in fighter/ bomber track. AETC inactivated the 64th Flying Training Wing on 30 September 1997 with the closure of Reese Air Force Base. 64 AEG/AEW operated out of Camp Snoopy from 1996 until 2004 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doha_International_Air_Base). In 2005, the group was activated for defense of personnel and assets in Southwest Asia. It provides force protection and support services for the installation. Lineage Group * Constituted as 64th Transport Group on 20 November 1940 : Activated on 4 December 1940 : Inactivated 31 July 1945 * Activated on 19 May 1947. : Not manned during 1947–1948 : Inactivated on 10 September 1948 * Redesignated: 64th Troop Carrier Group and activated 14 July 1952 : Inactivated on 21 July 1954 * Redesignated: 64th Operations Group and activated 15 May 1991 : Inactivated on 30 September 1997 * Redesignated as 64th Air Expeditionary Group and converted to provisional status, 1 September 2005 Wing * Established as 64th Troop Carrier Wing, Medium, on 3 July 1952 : Activated on 24 October 1960 : Organized on 8 February 1961 : Discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 January 1963 * Redesignated 64th Troop Carrier Wing, and activated, on 7 March 1966 : Organized on 1 July 1966 : Redesignated 64th Tactical Airlift Wing on 1 May 1967 : Inactivated on 31 May 1971 * Redesignated 64th Flying Training Wing on 14 April 1972 : Activated on 1 October 1972 : Inactivated on 30 September 1997 Assignments * IV Ground Air Support Command, 4 December 1940 * Twelfth Air Force : Attached to: VIII Air Support Command, 20 August 1942 * XII Troop Carrier Command (Provisional), 15 December 1943 * Twelfth Air Force, 17 February 1944 – 31 July 1945 : Most of group detached to Tenth Air Force April–June 1944 * Eighteenth Air Force, 14 July 1952 – 21 July 1954 : Group attached to 63d Troop Carrier Wing, Heavy, 15 October 1953 – 1 March 1954 * Air Transport Command 4 June – 31 July 1945 * First Air Force, 19 May 1947 – 10 September 1948 (Not Manned or equipped) * Ninth Air Force, 8 February 1961 * Twelfth Air Force, 1 January 1962 – 1 January 1963 * Tactical Air Command, 7 March 1966 * 839th Air Division, 1 July 1966 * Twelfth Air Force, 9 March 1970 – 31 May 1971 * Air Training Command, 1 October 1972 * Air Education and Training Command * Nineteenth Air Force, 1 July 1993 – 30 September 1997 * Air Combat Command to activate or inactivate any time after 1 September 2005 Stations * Duncan Field, Texas, 4 December 1940 * March Field, California, c. 13 July 1941; * Hamilton Field, California, c. 1 February 1942 * Westover Field, Massachusetts, c. 8 June – 31 July 1942; * RAF Ramsbury, England, August–November 1942 * Blida Airfield, Algeria, December 1942 * Kairouan Airfield, Tunisia, 28 June 1943 * El Djem Airfield, Tunisia, 26 July 1943 * Comiso Airfield, Sicily, 29 August 1943 * Ciampino Airfield, Italy, 10 July 1944 * Rosignano Airfield, Italy, 10 January – 23 May 1945 * Waller Field, Trinidad, 4 June – 31 July 1945 * Langley Field, Virginia, 19 May 1947 – 10 September 1948. *Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina (1952–1954) *Dyess Air Force Base, Texas (1961–1963) *Sewart Air Force Base, Tennessee (1966–1970) *Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas (1970–1971) *Reese Air Force Base, Texas (1972–1997) *Eskan Village, Saudi Arabia (23 September 2005 – present) Components Groups * 64th Troop Carrier (later, 64th Operations) Group: 14 July 1952 – 21 July 1954 ; 15 May 1991 – 30 September 1997 : Detached 15 October 1953 – 15 February 1954 * 443d Troop Carrier Group: attached 8 January – 1 February 1953 * 465th Troop Carrier Group: attached 1 February – 15 October 1953 Squadrons * 4th Liaison Squadron: attached 22 July 1952 – 23 January 1953 * 7th Liaison Squadron: attached 20 October 1952 – 9 January 1953 * 16th Transport (later Troop Carrier) Squadron: 1940–1945, 1947–1948 * 17th Transport (later Troop Carrier) Squadron: 1940–1945; 1947–1948; 1952–1954; 8 February 1961 – 1 January 1963 * 18th Transport (later Troop Carrier) Squadron: 8 January 1962 – 1 January 1963 * 33d Flying Training Squadron: 11 May 1990 – 15 December 1991 * 35th Transport (later Flying Training) Squadron: 1940–1945; 1947–1948; 1 October 1972 – 15 December 1991 * 41st Flying Training Squadron: 10 January 1990 – 15 May 1991 * 52d Flying Training Squadron: 11 May 1990 – 15 December 1991 * 54th Transport (later Flying Training) Squadron: 1942; 1 October 1972 – 15 December 1991 * 61st Troop Carrier (later Tactical Airlift) Squadron: 1 July 1966 – 31 May 1971 : Detached 5 May – 14 August 1967; 28 March – 29 June 1968; 28 May – 7 July 1970, 12 October – 19 December 1970 * 62d Troop Carrier (later Tactical Airlift) Squadron: 1 July 1966 – 31 May 1971 : Detached 13 December 1967 – c. 28 March 1968; 1 July – 2 October 1968; 5 November 1969 – 17 January 1970; 2 July – 31 August 1970; 2 April – 31 May 1971 * 64th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron 23 September 2005 – present * 64th Expeditionary Support Squadron 23 September 2005 – present Aircraft *C-82 Packet (1952–1953) *L-20 (1952–1953) *C-119 Flying Boxcar (1953–1954) *C-130 Hercules (1961–1963, 1966–1971) *T-41 Mescalero (1972–1973) *T-37 Tweet (1972–1997) *T-38 Talon (1972–1997) *T-1 Jayhawk (1992–1997) References * Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4. * Ravenstein, Charles A. (1984). Air Force Combat Wings Lineage and Honors Histories 1947–1977. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-912799-12-9. * Photo gallery * Joe's USAF Blue Book (Deactivated Link) Air Expeditionary 064